Fire alarm mechanism



1386- 1966 H. P. HUFFMAN FIRE ALARM MECHANISM Filed March 10, 1965 HANN IBAL P. HUFFMAN INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent C) FIRE ALARM MECHANISM Hannibal P. Huliman, 8011 S. 128th St, Seattle, Wash. 98178 Filed Mar. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 438,506 2 Claims. (Cl. 116-192) This invention relates to improvements in devices generally designated as fire alarms. More particularly, it relates to a mechanism for sounding an audible alarm or signal incident to the mechanism being subjected to a predetermined degree of heat, such as caused by a fire.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a fire alarm mechanism that may be a complete alarm device in itself or as an alarm apparatus that may be embodied in or combined with another article, such as for example, an ash tray, ornamental dish, vase or the like, and embodying certain parts or devices therein which normally serve to restrain the energizing of the alarm, but which, upon being subjected to a predetermined degree of heat such as caused by a burning cigarette or cigar misplaced in the close proximity of the alarm, will release the alarm device for its intended action.

More specifically, it is the principal object of this intion to incorporate a normally restrained alarm energizing means in a housing, such as one that might be formed as an ash tray, used by cigar and cigarette smokers and commonly placed on a bedside table, couch or chair.

A further object of the present invention resides in the formation, application and mode of use of an alarm restraining element in the form of a housing encircling bi-metal strip.

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the details of construction and combination of parts embodied in the alarm device, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplising the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present alarm device as associated with an ash tray housing.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the present device, taken on line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmental showing, in plan view, of parts of the alarm mechanism as associated with the ash tray housing.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bi-metal strip used to restrain or release the alarm sounding device.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The device of the present invention comprises the article designated in FIGS. 1 and 2 in its entirety by reference numeral 10. This article is shown to comprise an upright cylindrical, enclosing housing 11 of suitable material, preferably metal, closed at its top end by a removable ash tray 12 seated therein. At its lower end, the housing is closed by a dish shaped member 14 that mounts a spring driven clock mechanism 15.

The cylindrical housing 11 is for-med with one or more circumferential rows of holes or perforations'17 in its upper end portion and the lower end closing housing 14 which is tightly fitted in place in the lower end of cylindrical housing 11 is equipped with supporting legs 16.

Mounted on the clock mechanism 15, concentrically of the housing 11, is a dome-shaped bell 18 that has its peripheral flange portion 18' turned down to extend within the circumferential vertical side Walls of dished closure 14.

The spring powered .clock works includes an escapement gear 20 which, when released, oscillates a hammer lever 21 to cause it to impinge the bell 18 as a fire alarm.

Ordinarily, the hammer is restrained against action and thus it restrains the clock mechanism. The restraining element is a bi-metal strip 25 of circular formation for its application about the dish shaped housing 14 between its cylindrical wall and the downturned mounting flange 14f of the dished part as best shown in FIG. 2.

The bi-metal strip 25 is supported for its free-floating action by three or more radial pins 26 that are fixed horizontally in the walls of closure to pass freely through elongated slots 27 in the strip 25. The opposite end portions of the bi-metal strip are angularly inturned as shown at 30 in FIG. 4 for the passage of a radial lever arm 31 that extends from the hammer lever.

Normally the bi-metal strip is caused to be constricted in size to engage the lever arm '31 as in FIG. 3, to hold it against actuation, but when subjected to a predetermined degree of heat, the encircling strip is caused to expand and its ends open apart to disengage the lever arm, as indicated by the dotted lines 30' in FIG. 3, thus allowing the escapement gear to operate to actuate the hammer and thus sound the fire alarm.

Such bi-metal strips may be so formed so as to be sensi tive to heat as to cause sounding of the alarm before a fire can make any appreciable headway and the use by smokers of such trays embodying the alarm device is encouraged as a safety measure.

The use of such restraining means may be incorporated with clock-work types of alarm powering devices either in combination with articles such as ash trays, and the like or may be incorporated in devices which are designed only for use as a fire alarm, regardless of their other purposes or uses and designed for use in various positions and surroundings.

What I claim as new is:

1. A fire alarm device comprising an enclosing housing, an alarm bell contained in said housing, a spring powered bell striking hammer operatively mounted in said housing, a bi-metallic heat sensitive element of circular formation supported from said housing for freefioating action normally rest-raining the hammer against alarm actuation and operable when subjected to a predetermined degree of heat to release the spring powered hammer for actuation to energize the alarm, and a plurality of pins extending from said housing freely through said bi-metallic heat sensitive element to provide such free-floating support permitting unrestrained contraction and expansion of said bi-metallic heat sensitive element.

2. A fire alarm device comprising an enclosing housing of cylindrical form, an alarm bell contained in said housing, a spring powered motor in said housing including an escapement gear mechanism, a hammer operable by the turning of said escapement gear mechanism, to impinge the bell for sounding an alarm, a bi-metal strip encircling the housing and supported therefrom for freefloating action with its oppositetends spaced to receive the hammer between them to hold it normally against alarm energization and' adapted under a predetermined degree of heat to expand the strip for the release of the hammer for sounding the alarm, said bi-metal strip having elongated slots therein, and at least three pins extend ing from said housing through said slots'to provide such free-floating support.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Shaffer 116-106 Stevens .116102 Oberreich 116-102 Riley 116l06 Cromer 116-106 Lambert 116106 Palmer 116-l02 Turner 116106 Girten 116-406 Kaplan 116-106 Great Britain.

LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FIRE ALARM DEVICE COMPRISING AN ENCLOSING HOUSING, AN ALARM BELL COTAINED IN SAID HOUSING, A SPRING POWERED BELL STRIKING HAMMER OPERATIVELY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING, A BI-METALLIC HEAT SENSITIVE ELEMENT OF CIRCULAR FORMATION SUPPORTED FROM SAID HOUSING FOR FREE FLOATING ACTION NORMALLY RESTRAINING THE HAMMER AGAINST ALARM ACTUATION AND OPERABLE WHEN SUBJECTED TO A PREDETERMINED DEGREE OF HEAT TO RELEASE THE SPRING POWERED HAMMER FOR ACTUATION TO ENERGIZE THE ALARD, AND A PULRALITY OF PINS EXTENDING FROM SAID HOUSING FREELY THROUGH SAID BI-METALLIC HEAT SENSITIVE ELEMENT TO PROVIDE SUCH FREE-FLOATING SUPPORT PERMITTING UNRESTRAINED CONTRACTION AND EXPANSION OF SAID BI-METALLIC HEAT SENSITIVE ELEMENT. 